News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-10-20
AMONG THE HOP-PICKERS.
A Feature of Rural AutumnaI Life
in Central New York.

GLEN FALLS, n. Y.-Central New
York during the latter days of August
and the greater part of September IS an
exceedingly interesting region to visit.
1t is here that the yeasty hop is found
growing in all its luxuriance, and this is
the season of its harvest. O5sego, Mad
ison, Oneida and parts of Schoharie and
Montgomery counties are the goal of all
hop pickers All other business i'll this
section is suspended. The rich and
Door, old and young, of all sizes and
both sexes in the hop districts seek
the hop yards, some for health and
pleasure, more for profit. Both may
here be found. No better way of spend
ing a vacation can be devised for the
draggcd-out and overworked from the
cities, if they are willing to eat PLAIN,
hearty food and enter into the spirit OF
their surroundings. The pure air and eX-
ercise, with the healthful influence of the
hops, always creates an almost 1nsatla-
BILE appetite and puts new life into the
WORKOUT body. Notwithstanding the
fact that every one in the country picks
hops, thousands are imported every year
into the hop districts from the cities
and towns along the Mohawk from Al
bany to Syracuse. The thrOngs are not
composed of the elite of their cOmmunl-
ties, but make good hop pickers and
make this season answer for an outing
at the seashore or the Adirondacks.
Much of the romance of the Old-fashiOn
ed hop picking is lacking III a yard
where these foreign pickers are employ
ed. 1t is made a business and these
Cnl
as possible, but in spite of this their
presence has a demoralizing effect upon
the youth of the community, owing to
the presence of so many disreputable
women among them.
But in many parts of the hop region
the old fashioned hop picking still ex-
lists. A hop yard in process of picking
is novel and picturesque sight any
where, but among the Otsego hills,
whose slopes and charming valleys are
everywhere dotted with the fields of
hops, the vines clinging to the poles or
strings upon which they are trained, the
long rows of hops meeting overhead
forming arches, sometimes the fields
covering many acres-the scene is tit
for the painters brush.
In those sections where only home
pickers are employed the season is al
ways most enjoyable. The farmers vie
with each other to secure the prettlest
girls in the community to pick for them,
and. of course, no trouble is found to
find plenty of young men. Society
lines are almost forgotten during hop
picking, and each one, as a rule, appears
to enjoy life without reserve. The work
is not easy. The picIers are up by
dawn and out in the fields at an early
hour. where they stand all day, taking
time only for dinner.
The hops are brought to the pickers
by what are called box-tenders, who pull
the poles and cut up the vines to suit
the pickers. In spite of the hard work
all enjoy it. Young men ind plenty of
time for making love to the fair maidens
with whom they are thrown in contact,
and many a man has met his fate III the
hop yard. The evening moonlight walks
and the alluring influences of his sur
rOundinos are more than the average
country youth is able to contend with,
and some who are not from the country
also.
The season lasts from two to four
weeks, during the most delightful time
of the wear. While every one enjoys
the novelty and freedom from restraint
and society restrictions, it is the profit
attached to the work that gives it one of
its greatest charms. In large yards
where foreign pickers are employed the
picker's car fare is paid to the hop fields
and the pickers are able to earn from 40
cents to 81 a day, according to their
ability. They are also boarded, and 1t
is wonderful to note the improvement
that pure air and good food make upon
some of the poor from the cities who are
brought out by the growers. Home
pickers generally board themselves and
are paid accordingly. They earn from
60 cents to 81 a day. All pickers are
paid by the box of hops, the price vary
ing in different localities, owing to the
difference in the size of the boxes.
There are now only two sized boxes III
use. In Oneida and Madison the stand
ard box holds u bushels, in Otsego and
some other sections 10 bushels. The
price paid per box, with board, was
from 25 to 35 cents, without board from
so to so cents. In the palmy days of
hop growing, before hop substitutes and
lice had taken the life out of the bust
ness, the price was much more.
The hop crop, while it is light i'll
many sections and the yield very much
smaller than in 1885 (there being no
crop last year., never was of better
quality or harvested in better condition
than is being done this year. The
farmers are expecting to work the crop
off at small profit, but their faith in the
return of the days when they could re-
alize from $500 to $1,000 an acre il
gone.